Device For Closing A Liquid Product Dispenser

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device for closing a dispenser of liquid products, comprising a push-button equipped with a lateral ejection aperture and characterized in that it comprises a bonnet enclosing said push-button and equipped with a vertical panel capable of closing the said aperture by rotating the said bonnet around a central pivot on the upper surface of the said push-button.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of pending Internationalpatent application PCT/FR2004/003393 filed on Dec. 27, 2004 whichdesignates the United States.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for closing a dispenser of liquidproducts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most dispensers of cosmetic or pharmaceutical products in liquid or gelform have a push-button on top for operating an internal pump. Thispush-button is equipped with a discharge passage leading to the outsideby way of a lateral ejection aperture.

This type of dispenser is usually enclosed in a bonnet that is movedback to cap the push-button.

It can often happen, however, that the user forgets to replace thebonnet after using the dispenser, resulting in rapid drying up of theproduct, at least the portion inside the terminal area of the dischargepassage, causing a risk of blockage or of clogging. This problem isespecially serious when the dispenser operates without air intake andwhen there is no complementary means of ensuring sealing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a satisfactory solution tothese technical problems.

According to the invention, this objects if fulfilled by means of adispenser that includes an enclosure that covers said push-button and isequipped with a vertical panel 2 that can close up said aperture byrotating the said bonnet around a central pivot mounted on the uppersurface of said push-button.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the lowersurface of said bonnet includes at least one retaining lug that canengage slidingly in a curved groove in the upper surface of thepush-button.

The extremity of said retaining lug should preferably comprise a hookthat engages in a longitudinal lumen in the internal wall of said groovein the push-button.

According to another characteristic, the lower surface of the saidbonnet comprises a guide cap in which said central pivot is rotatablyencased.

Said pivot is advantageously equipped with a peripheral strip that canbe snapped into a circular recess internally mounted on the said cap ofthe bonnet.

Said cap is preferably positioned in the base of a recess in the lowersurface of the bonnet.

According to a specific variant, said panel comprises an interiorprotrusion that can be snapped, in the closed position, into an ejectionaperture.

According to another variant, said panel extends downward by means of aheel that is configured to the shape of the ejection aperture.

For ergonomic and aesthetic reasons, it is expected that the edge of theupper surface of the hood is contiguous to the lateral wall of thepush-button.

The arrangement of the invention ensures sealed closing of the ejectionaperture while remaining directly connected with the dispenser at alltimes.

In addition, the closing depends on a resource that is integratedperfectly with the overall aesthetic appearance of the dispenser withoutany sharp angles.

The protrusion on the panel provides a snap closing, which provides theuser with a guarantee of a sealed dispenser.

The invention is further elucidated by the following description, withreferences to the illustrations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show perspective views of one embodiment of theinventive device, in closed and open positions, respectively.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a dispenser equipped with theinventive device.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the components of the device seenin FIGS. 1 a and 1 b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The dispenser depicted in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b is an airless dispenser(without air intake) intended for liquid cosmetics and comprising aproduct reservoir R, a pump P that can be actuated manually by apush-button 1. The push-button 1 is equipped with a discharge passage 11linked to the atomizer tube T of the pump P and leading to the outsideby a lateral ejection aperture 10.

In the depicted embodiment, the ejection aperture is positioned on thepush-button at the end of a product supply spout 14.

The inventive device comprises a bonnet 2 that encloses the push-button1 and is equipped with a vertical panel 20 that can close the aperture10 by rotating around a central pivot 12 positioned on the upper surface1 a of the push-button 1.

The lower surface 2 a of the bonnet 2 comprises at least one retaininglug 22 that can slidably engage in a curved groove 13 on the uppersurface 1 a of the push-button 1 and shown in FIG. 3. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 4, the bonnet comprises three lugs 22.

The extremities of the lugs 22 comprise a hook 22 a that can engage in alongitudinal lumen 14 in the internal wall of the groove 13 on thepush-button.

In the embodiment illustrated sectionally in FIG. 2, the lumen 14 leadsinto the interior space of the body of the push-button 1, and the flangeof the lumen 14 ensures vertical blocking of the hook 22 a.

The lower surface 2 a of the bonnet 2 comprises a guide cap 21 in whichthe said central pivot 12 is rotatably encased. The pivot 12 is equippedwith a peripheral ring 12 a that snaps into a circular recess 21 a onthe interior of the bonnet cap 21.

The bonnet is therefore doubly retained on the push-button: in thecenter, by the rotating connection between the pivot 12 and the cap 21and, in the rear, by the sliding connection connecting from the stud 22into the groove 13.

The cap 21 is positioned in the base of a cavity on the lower surface 2a of the bonnet 2.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the panel 20 comprises an internalprotrusion 20 a capable of snapping in an insulated closed position inthe ejection aperture 10 in the manner of a cork and, if desired, withan audible clicking sound.

For this purpose, the dimensions of the protrusion 20 a are determinedas a function of the cross-section of the aperture 10.

In the illustrated variant, the panel 20 extends downward by means of aheel 24 configured to match the shape of the spout 14 and that of theejection aperture 10.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the edge of the upper surface 2 bof the bonnet 2 is contiguous, in its perimeter, with the lateral wallof the push-button 1 in a manner that matches the lines of thedispenser.

The lower surface 2 a of the bonnet is in contact with the upper surface1 a of the push-button except for a zone situated around the guide cap21 that corresponds to the recess 23 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

According to the variants that are not shown, contact between the twosurfaces in question 1 a, 2 a is reinforced by means of a relief beltjoined either with the perimeter of the recess 23 of the bonnet 2, orwith the upper surface 1 a of the push-button 1.

1. A device for closing a dispenser of liquid products, comprising apush-button equipped with a lateral ejection aperture and characterizedin that it comprises a bonnet enclosing said push-button and equippedwith a vertical panel capable of closing the said aperture by rotatingthe said bonnet around a central pivot on the upper surface of the saidpush-button.
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that theupper surface of the bonnet comprises at least one retaining studengaging slidably in a curved groove in the upper surface of thepush-button.
 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that theextremity of the said bears a hook that can engage in a longitudinallumen on the internal wall of the said groove of the push-button.
 4. Adevice according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower surface ofthe said bonnet comprises a guide cap in which the said central pivot isrotatably encased.
 5. A device according to claim 3, characterized inthat the said pivot is equipped with a peripheral ring that can snapinto a circular recess on the interior of the said cap of the bonnet. 6.A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the said cap ispositioned in the base of a recess on the lower surface of said bonnet.7. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said panelbears an interior protrusion capable of snapping in closed position inthe ejection aperture.
 8. A device according to claim 1, characterizedin that the said panel is extended downward by a heel configured tomatch the shape of the ejection aperture.
 9. A device according to claim1, characterized in that the edge of the upper surface of the bonnet isin contact with the lateral wall of the push-button.
 10. A deviceaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the lower surface of thesaid bonnet comprises a guide cap in which the said central pivot isrotatably encased.
 11. A device according to claim 4, characterized inthat the said cap is positioned in the base of a recess on the lowersurface of said bonnet.